Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – An administration congressman and an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) are among those being investigated for possible involvement in the alleged anomalous construction of bunkhouses for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson said on Monday.
Lacson, in an interview on Radio Inquirer 990AM, said he has the identities of the two officials but he did not name them.
“May identity naman tayo noong sinasabing administration congressman na posibleng nanghimasok dito at kasama iyon sa ating iniimbestigahan. Meron din allegation na mayroong Comelec officer na naging contractor, kasama yun sa ating iniimbestigahan din,” he said.
Lacson said the two are being investigated for their possible involvement in the construction and for allegedly “influencing” the choice of the contractors.
The newly appointed rehabilitation czar said he himself was “quietly” investigating the overpricing and kickback allegations in the construction of the bunkhouses after receiving reports that the project was riddled with anomalies.
The kickbacks, he said, allegedly ranged between 30 to 35 percent.
Lacson said his office had already gathered documents pertaining to alleged overpricing and under specifications of bunkhouses but they have yet to compare these with the official documents from the office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said he had also personally asked DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson to verify the reports but until now he has not received any feedback.
“I mentioned to him several names ng mga personalities na possibly involved. Wala pa akong nakukuhang feedback from Secretary Singson,” he said.
Lacson said Singson’s office has yet to grant his request to provide his office the standard specifications of the temporary shelters being constructed in the typhoon-hit areas.
“Noong pinatawag ko ang staff ko sa kanila, ang sagot ng staff sa DPWH, bayaran daw naming yung mga documents na hinihiling namin. Sabi ko, gobyerno tayo… bakit kelangang bayaran namin so gumawa na lang kami ng official receipt or written request para makuha mga documents,” Lacson said.
Lacson described the people involved in the anomaly as “amoral.”
“There’s only one word to describe these people. Amoral, Kasi kung nag ti-take advantage ka doon sa misery ng ibang tao in the middle of a tragedy, of a calamity pagkatapos pagkakaperahan mo pa there’s no better word or worse word to describe such person or persons kung hindi amoral,” he further said.
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